Ko He Sivi Fakalelei ʼo Te ʼu Manatu Hala ʼo ʼUhiga Mo Te Mate

ʼI TE temi fuli pe, neʼe hoha te tagata ʼi tana tau mo te mate. Tahi ʼaē meʼa, ko te mataku ki te mate ʼe fefioʼaki mo te ʼu manatu faka lotu hala, mo te ʼu faʼahiga aga kua maʼuliʼi māhani, pea mo te ʼu faʼahiga manatu ʼa kita tokotahi kua tauʼaka. Ko te kovi ʼo te mataku ki te mate heʼe ina lava pulihi takita lava fakafiafia ki te maʼuli pea ina pulihi māmālie takita falala ʼaē ʼe ʼi ai te ʼuhiga ʼo te maʼuli.

ʼE lākahala tāfito ia te lotu ʼi tana fakatuʼutuʼu te ʼu tuʼuga manatu hala ʼo ʼuhiga mo te mate. ʼAki takotou sivisivi ʼo he ʼu manatu hala ʼaki te moʼoni faka Tohi-Tapu, koutou tokagaʼi pe kua fakamālamaʼi takotou ʼu faʼahiga manatu ʼo ʼuhiga mo te mate.

Manatu hala 1: Ko te mate ʼe ko te gataʼaga pe ia ʼo te maʼuli.

ʼE ʼui fēnei e te tohi Death—The Final Stage of Growth: “Ko te mate . . . ʼe ko he koga ia ʼo totatou maʼuli.” Ko te ʼu taʼi palalau ʼaenī ʼe ina fakahā ko te mate ʼe ko he meʼa māhani pe ia, ko te ʼaluʼaga ʼo te fakaʼosi ʼo te ʼu meʼa maʼuli fuli. ʼI te tahi faʼahi, ko te taʼi tui ʼaia neʼe ina fakatupu te ʼu filosofia ʼe mole faka tui ki he meʼa pea mo ina fakatupu te ʼu faʼahiga aga heʼeʼaoga.

Kae ʼe tonu koa ke gata feiā te maʼuli, ʼaki te mate? ʼE mole ko te manatu ʼaia ʼa te hahaʼi fai kumi fuli. Ohage foki la ko Calvin Harley, ko he tagata poto ʼe ina sivi te liliu ʼa te tagata ʼo matuʼa, neʼe ina ʼui ʼi tona fakafehuʼi ʼe mole tui ia ko te tagata neʼe “fakatuʼutuʼu ke mate.” Neʼe fakatokagaʼi e te tagata tōketā ko William Clark: “ ʼE mole ʼiloʼi te tupuʼaga ʼo te fefioʼaki ʼo te mate mo te maʼuli, kae ʼe mole ʼi ai hona koga ʼi ai.” Pea ko Seymour Benzer ʼo te California Institute of Technology, ʼe ina ʼui “ko te ʼuhiga matuʼa ʼe mole tonu ke fakatatau ki he ʼuasi kae ʼe lagi feala hona fakatatau ki he ʼu ʼaluʼaga ʼe fehilifakiʼaki, pea ʼe tou fakaʼamu ke tou fetogi.”

Ka sivisivi e te kau tagata popoto ia te faʼufaʼu ʼo te tagata, ʼe nātou punamaʼuli. ʼE nātou fakatokagaʼi neʼe fakatupu ia tatou ia te ʼu koloā pea mo te ʼu fealagia ʼe laka age tona maʼuli ʼi te ʼu taʼu e 70 pea mo te ʼu taʼu e 80. Ohage foki la, neʼe tokagaʼi e te kau popoto ki te toe fealagia ʼa te ʼuto ia te tāʼofi ʼo he tuʼuga meʼa. Neʼe fakafuafua e te tagata fai kumi ʼe lava tāʼofi e totatou ʼuto ia he ʼu logo ʼe ina “fakafonu anai he ʼu foʼi tohi lalahi e 20 miliona, ʼo laka age ia ʼi te ʼu tānakiʼaga tohi lalahi ʼo te malamanei.” ʼE lau e ʼihi kau popoto, lolotoga te maʼuli katoa ʼo he tagata ʼe ina fakaʼaogaʼi pe he kiʼi koga siʼisiʼi ʼo tona ʼuto (ko he tahi ʼi te teau ʼo he tahi ʼi te teau). ʼE lagi koutou fai ai anai te fehuʼi ʼaenī, ‘Pe koʼe koa ʼe tou maʼu he ʼuto mo he toe fealagia feiā kae ʼe tou fakaʼaogaʼi pe he kiʼi koga veliveli ʼaupito ʼi totatou maʼuli katoa?’

Koutou toe fakatokagaʼi foki te lave kovi ʼo te mate ki te hahaʼi! Maʼa te tokolahi ko te mate ʼo he ʼohoana, peʼe ko he tamasiʼi ʼe ko he koga ia ʼe ina lava fetogi katoa te maʼuli. Ko te meʼa katoa ʼe logoʼi e he tahi ʼi tona loto ʼe feala ke hage ʼe gatutu hili he temi loaloaga ʼo te kua mate ʼo he tahi. Māʼia foki mo nātou ʼaia ʼe nātou lau ko te mate ʼe ko te ʼaluʼaga ʼo te maʼuli, ʼe mata faigataʼa kia nātou ia te manatu ʼaē ko tonatou mate ko tona faka ʼuhiga ko te ʼosi ʼo te ʼu meʼa fuli. Ko te nusipepa Pilitania, ia te British Medical Journal neʼe palalau ki “te loto fuli ʼa te hahaʼi ke nātou maʼuʼuli ʼo fualoa.”

ʼAki te agamāhani ʼa te tagata mokā tau mo te mate, fakatahi mo tona fealagia fakaofoofo ʼaē ke ina maʼu fakaʼatamai pea ke ina ako he ʼu meʼa fakatahi mo tona holi ʼaē ʼi tona loto ki te heʼegata, ʼe mole koa la fakamoʼoni mai neʼe fakatupu te tagata ke maʼuli? ʼI tona fakahagatonu, neʼe mole fakatupu te tagata e te ʼAtua, ke mate, kae neʼe ina fakatupu ʼaki te ʼamanaki ʼaē ke maʼuli ʼo heʼegata. Koutou tokagaʼi te meʼa ʼaē neʼe fakatuʼutuʼu e te ʼAtua ki te ʼuluaki taumatuʼa pea mo tonā ka haʼu: “Koulua fanaunau, pea koulua liliu ʼo hahaʼi, pea koulua fakafonu te kele, pea koulua puleʼi, pea koulua pule ki te ʼu ika ʼo te tai, pea mo te ʼu manulele ʼo te lagi, pea mo te ʼu manu fuli ʼe gatolo ʼi te kele.” (Senesi 1:28) Neʼe ko he ka haʼu taulekaleka, pea mo heʼegata!

Manatu hala 2: ʼE toʼo te hahaʼi e te ʼAtua ke nātou nonofo mo ia.

Neʼe ʼui fēnei e te faʼe ʼe taʼu 27 ʼe ʼamanaki mate kae ina tuku tana ʼu tamaliki e toko tolu ki te taupoʼou Katolika: “ ʼAua naʼa haʼu ʼo ʼui mai ko te finegalo ʼo te ʼAtua ke hoko te meʼa ʼaenī kia ʼau. . . . ʼE mamahi toku loto mokā ʼui mai e he tahi ia te potu ʼaia.” Kae ko te meʼa ʼaia ʼe akoʼi e te ʼu lotu ʼo ʼuhiga mo te mate—ʼe toʼo te hahaʼi e te ʼAtua ke nātou ōvi age kia ia.

ʼE loto fefeka feiā koa te Tupuʼaga ke ina matehi tatou, mo ʼiloʼi aipe ko he koga fakaloto mamahi ʼaupito kia tatou? Kailoa, ʼe mole feiā te ʼAtua ʼo te Tohi-Tapu. ʼE ʼui fēnei ia 1 Soane 4:8, “ko te Atua e . . . Ofa.” Koutou tokagaʼi ʼe mole ʼui ʼe maʼu e te ʼAtua ia te ʼofa peʼe ʼofa kae ko te ʼAtua ʼe ko te ʼofa. ʼI te lahi ʼaupito ʼo te ʼofa ʼo te ʼAtua koia ʼe pipiki ai ki tona agaaga pea mo tana ʼu gāue, pea koia ʼe feala hatatou ʼui ko ia totonu ia te ʼofa. ʼE mole ko te ʼAtua ʼaē ʼe ina toʼo te hahaʼi ke nātou ōvi age kia te ia.

Tokolahi te hahaʼi ʼe fefioʼaki ʼanatou ʼu manatu ʼuhi ko te ʼu ako ʼa te lotu hala ʼo ʼuhiga mo te koga meʼa ʼe ʼolo kiai te kau mate pea mo tonatou ʼaluʼaga. Ko te lagi, te ʼifeli, te pulekatolio, mo te nofoʼaga ʼo te tamaliki kei liliki—ko te ʼu koga meʼa ʼaia pea mo he tahi ʼu koga meʼa ʼe faigataʼa tona fakamahino pea mo fakamataku ʼaupito. Kae ʼe ʼui mai e te Tohi-Tapu ko te kau mate ʼe mole kei nātou ʼiloʼi he meʼa; ʼe hage ʼe nātou momoe. (Tagata Tānaki 9:5, 10; Soane 11:11-14) Koia ʼe mole tonu ai ke tou tuʼania ʼo ʼuhiga mo te meʼa ʼe hoko kia tatou mokā tou mamate, ohage pe ko tatatou mole tuʼania mokā tou sisio ki he tahi ʼe moe. Neʼe palalau ia Sesu ki he temi “ko nātou fuli ʼaē ʼe nonofo ʼi te ʼu falemaka fakamanatu . . . ʼe nātou hū mai anai ki tuʼa” ke nātou toe maʼuʼuli ʼi he palatiso fakakelekele.—Soane 5:28, 29, MN; Luka 23:43.

Manatu hala 3: ʼE toʼo te kihiʼi tamaliki e te ʼAtua ke nātou liliu ko he kau ʼaselo.

Ko Elizabeth Kübler-Ross, neʼe ina akoʼi te agaaga ʼo te hahaʼi ʼe mahahaki kovi pea kua nātou ōvi ki te mate, pea neʼe palalau ki te tahi faʼahiga manatu ʼa te hahaʼi lotu. ʼI tana fakamatala te meʼa neʼe hoko, neʼe ina ʼui ʼe “mole lelei te ʼui age ki te kiʼi taʼahine kua mate tona kiʼi tuagaʼane, ʼe ʼofa ʼaupito te ʼAtua ki te kihiʼi tamaliki tagata, pea koia neʼe ina ʼave ai ia Johnny ki selo.” Ko te taʼi fakamatala ʼaia ʼe ina fulihi hala ia te natula ʼo te ʼAtua pea mo tana aga. Neʼe toe hoko atu e Kübler-Ross: “ ʼI te liliu leva ʼa te kiʼi taʼahine ʼaia ko te fafine, neʼe mole heʼeki puli ia ia tona ʼita ki te ʼAtua; ko te meʼa ʼaē neʼe hoko neʼe mahaki ulu ʼi te mate ʼo tona mokopuna hili kiai taʼu e tolugofulu.”

He koʼe koa ʼe toʼo anai he tamasiʼi e te ʼAtua ke liliu ko he tahi ʼaselo—ohage ia ʼe lahi age te ʼaoga ʼo he tamasiʼi ki te ʼAtua ʼi te matuʼa totonu? Kapau neʼe moʼoni ia te toʼo ʼo te ʼu tamaliki e te ʼAtua, ʼe mole koa la fakaliliu ʼaki ia ia ko he Tupuʼaga ʼe mole ʼofa pea mo manatu pe kia ia? Kae ʼe mole tonu te taʼi manatu ʼaia heʼe ʼui fēnei e te Tohi-Tapu: “E haù te ofa mai te Atua.” (1 Soane 4:7) Kapau ki te tagata ʼaē ʼe siʼisiʼi tana fakakaukau ʼe mole ina mata fakapotopotoʼia te koga ʼaia, kae ʼe feala koa ki he ʼAtua ʼofa ke ina toʼo he tahi?

He koʼe koa ʼe mamate te tamaliki? ʼE ʼi ai te koga ʼo te Tohi-Tapu ʼe tali kiai ia Tagata Tānaki 9:11: “Ko te ʼu temi pea mo te ʼu meʼa fakafokifā ʼe hoko kia tatou fuli.” Pea ʼe ʼui mai e te Pesalemo 51:5 ko tatou fuli ʼe tou agahala, talu mai totatou tutupu ake, pea ko te mate ʼe ko he koga ʼe hoko ki te tagata fuli pe ʼaki he ʼu tupuʼaga kehekehe. Ko te meʼa ʼe tau hoko, ʼe hoko te mate ki he tahi ʼi muʼa ʼo tana tupu ake, koia ʼaē ʼe ʼi ai te ʼu tamaliki ʼe fānau ake kae kua mamate. ʼI ʼihi ʼaluʼaga, ʼe mamate te tamaliki ʼi he ʼu ʼaluʼaga fakamataku peʼe hoko kia nātou he tuʼutāmaki pea nātou mamate ai. ʼE mole feala ke faka lākahalaʼi te ʼAtua ki te ʼu taʼi ʼaluʼaga ʼaia.

Manatu hala 4: ʼE fakamamahiʼi te hahaʼi ʼi tonatou ʼosi mate.

ʼE lahi te ʼu lotu ʼe nātou akoʼi, ʼe ʼolo anai te kau agakovi ki he ʼifeli kakaha pea ʼe fakamamahiʼi anai nātou ʼo heʼegata. ʼE tonu koa te akonaki ʼaia pea mo fakatafito koa ki te Tohi-Tapu? Ko te maʼuli ʼo te tagata ʼe faka tuʼakoi pe ki te ʼu taʼu e 70 peʼe 80. Kae kapau leva ʼe agakovi ʼaupito he tahi ʼi tona maʼuli katoa, ko tona tūʼa ke fakamamahiʼi ʼo heʼegata ʼe matatonu koa? Kailoa. ʼE hala mamafa anai te fakamamahiʼi ʼo he tagata ʼo heʼegata ki te ʼu agahala neʼe ina fai ʼi he kiʼi temi nounou.

ʼE gata pe ko te ʼAtua ʼe ina lava fakahā pe koteā te meʼa ʼe hoko mokā mamate te hahaʼi, pea neʼe ina fakahā te faʼahi ʼaia ʼi tana Folafola, ia te Tohi-Tapu. Koʼeni te meʼa ʼaē ʼe ʼui e te Tohi-Tapu: “Ohage ko te mate ʼa te tagata, ʼe toe feiā pe mo te mate ʼa te manu; ʼe nātou maʼu fuli te laumālie pe e tahi . . . ʼE nātou ʼolo fuli pe ki te potu e tahi. Neʼe nātou haʼu fuli mai te efu, pea ʼe nātou toe liliu fuli ki te efu.” (Tagata Tānaki 3:19, 20) ʼE mole ʼi ai he fakamatala ʼo ʼuhiga mo he ʼifeli kakaha. Ka mamate te hahaʼi, pea ʼe nātou liliu ki te efu—ki te pulinoa.

Ke fakamamahiʼi he tahi, ʼe tonu muʼa ke maʼuli te tagata ʼaia. ʼE kei ʼaʼala koa te kau mate? ʼE toe fakahā pe foki e te Tohi-Tapu ia te tali kiai: “Ko te kau maʼuli ʼe nātou ʼiloʼi ʼe nātou mamate anai; kae ko te kau mate, ʼe mole kei nātou ʼiloʼi he meʼa, ʼe mole kei ʼi ai honatou totogi, heʼe kua galo te ʼu meʼa ʼaē neʼe nātou manatuʼi.” (Tagata Tānaki 9:5) ʼE mole feala ia ki te kau mate, ʼaē ʼe “mole kei nātou ʼiloʼi he meʼa,” ke nātou logoʼi he mamahi ʼi he koga meʼa.

Manatu hala 5: Ko te mate ʼe ko te fakaʼosi ʼaia ʼo totatou maʼuli.

Ka tou mamate, ʼe mole kei hoko atu totatou maʼuli, ʼe mole faka ʼuhiga leva ʼe mole ʼi ai he ʼamanaki ke kita falala kiai. Neʼe mahino ki te tagata agatonu ko Sopo ʼe ʼalu anai ki te faitoka, ia te Seole, mokā mate. Kae tou fagono muʼa ki tana kole ki te ʼAtua: “Â! Kanapaula neʼe ke fakanono ʼau ʼi te Seole, kanapau la ʼe ke fufū ʼau ʼo aʼu ki te maliu kehe ʼo tou hāūhāū, kanapaula ʼe ke tuku mai kia ʼau he tuʼakoi pea ke manatuʼi ai ʼau! Ka mate he tagata mālohi, ʼe feala hana toe tuʼuake? . . . ʼE ke pāui anai pea ʼe ʼau tali atu anai.”—Sopo 14:13-15.

Neʼe tui ia Sopo kapau ʼe mate agatonu, pea ʼe manatuʼi anai ia e te ʼAtua pea mo fakatuʼuake ʼi tona temi. Neʼe tui kiai te kau kaugana fuli ʼa te ʼAtua ʼo te temi ʼāfea. Neʼe fakamoʼoni e Sesu ki te ʼamanaki ʼaia pea mo ina fakahā ʼi tana ʼu palalau ʼe fakaʼaogaʼi anai ia ia e te ʼAtua ki te fakatuʼuake ʼo te kau mate. ʼE fakamoʼoni fēnei mai e te ʼu palalau ʼaenī ʼa Kilisito: “ ʼE hoko mai te hola ʼaē ko nātou fuli ʼaē ʼe nonofo ʼi te ʼu falemaka fakamanatu ʼe nātou logo anai ki [te] leʼo [ʼo Sesu] pea ʼe nātou hū mai anai ki tuʼa, ko nātou ʼaē neʼe nātou fai te ʼu meʼa ʼe lelei, ki he fakatuʼuake ʼo te maʼuli, ko nātou ʼaē neʼe nātou fai te ʼu meʼa ʼe kovi, ki he fakatuʼuake ʼo te fakamāu.”—Soane 5:28, 29, MN.

Kua ōvi mai te temi ʼaē ka pulihi anai e te ʼAtua te agakovi fuli pea mo ina fakatuʼu he mālama foʼou ʼe puleʼi anai e he puleʼaga ʼi selo. (Pesalemo 37:10, 11; Taniela 2:44; Apokalipesi 16:14, 16) Ko te meʼa anai ka hoko, ʼe mafola anai te palatiso ʼi te kele katoa, pea ʼe nofoʼi e he hahaʼi ʼe nātou tauhi ki te ʼAtua. ʼE tou lau fēnei ʼi te Tohi-Tapu: “Neʼe ʼau logo ki te leʼo mālohi ʼe haʼu mai te hekaʼaga faka hau, ʼo ina ʼui fēnei: ‘Koʼeni! Ko te fale fehikitaki ʼo te ʼAtua ʼe nofo mo te hahaʼi, pea ʼe nofo anai mo nātou, pea ʼe nātou liliu anai ko tana ʼu hahaʼi. Pea ko te ʼAtua totonu ʼe nofo anai mo nātou. Pea ʼe ina holoholoʼi anai te ʼu loʼimata fuli pe ʼi ʼonatou mata, pea ko te mate ʼe puli anai ia; ʼe mole toe ʼi ai anai he putu, he kekē, he mamahi. Ko te ʼu meʼa ʼāfea kua puli ia.’ ”—Apokalipesi 21:3, 4, MN.

Kua ʼĀteaina Mai Te Mataku

ʼE feala ke koutou loto fīmālie ʼaki te ʼatamai mālama ʼo ʼuhiga mo te fakatuʼuake fakatahi mo te ʼatamai mālama ʼo Ia ʼaē ko te matapuna ʼo te fakatuʼutuʼu ʼaia ko te fakatuʼuake. Neʼe fakapapau fēnei e Sesu: “E koutou iloi anai te mooni, pea e fakaateaina anai koutou e te mooni.” (Soane 8:32) ʼE kau ai te fakaʼateaina ʼo tatou mai te mate. ʼI tona fakahagatonu, ʼe gata pe kia Sehova ʼe ina lava fetogi te liliu ʼa te tagata ʼo matuʼa pea mate, kae ina foaki mai te maʼuli heʼegata. ʼE koutou lava faka tui koa ki te ʼu fakapapau ʼa te ʼAtua? Ei, koteʼuhi ʼe hoko tuʼumaʼu te Folafola ʼa te ʼAtua. (Isaia 55:11) ʼE mātou fakaloto mālohiʼi koutou ke koutou ʼiloʼi te ʼu fakatuʼutuʼu ʼa te ʼAtua ʼo ʼuhiga mo te malamanei. ʼE fiafia anai te kau Fakamoʼoni ʼa Sehova ʼi te tokoni atu kia koutou.

[Talanoa ʼo te pasina 7]

[Paki ʼo te pasina 6]

Ko te meʼa ʼaē ʼe kovi ʼaki te mataku ki te mate, heʼe ina lava pulihi te lava fakafiafia ʼo he tahi ki te maʼuli

[Paki ʼo te pasina 8]

Ko te ʼiloʼi ʼo te moʼoni ʼo ʼuhiga mo te mate ʼe ina faka ʼāteaina tatou mai te mataku

[Haʼuʼaga ʼo te paki pasina 5]

Barrators—Giampolo/The Doré Illustrations For Dante’s Divine Comedy/Dover Publications Inc.